


Wally's Depression

by FonzFan82



Category: Leave It to Beaver
Genre: Depression
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-31
Updated: 2013-02-11
Packaged: 2017-11-17 11:51:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/551241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FonzFan82/pseuds/FonzFan82
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Now it's in the 2000's and Wally and Beaver are in their 60's, Wally suffers through a tough time with depression and Beaver and Eddie give Wally all the support to Wally. This is Beaver's payback to Wally from the time they were children on helping Wally through a tough time all the time Wally has helped him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Wally Cleaver was getting ready to go to his office one Wednesday morning. The clock in the kitchen read 9:45 a.m. telling him he should have been at the office an hour ago. He looked at me when I offered to give him a ride on his way to work.

"Do you have everything with you, Wally?" I asked.

"I don't know. Let me check," Wally said, going back upstairs to his bedroom in my house.

He didn't want to live alone because depression back then had been tough and he didn't want to live alone so I was nice enough to let him move in. Wally had been out of touch with his only child, a daughter named Lindsey and writing her but there was no answer from her. I had waited five more minutes before my older brother came down again. I had known how bad Wally's depression had been twenty years later so I didn't mind waiting every morning for me to drive Wally to the Senate's office.

While waiting for Wally five more minutes, I kissed my five - foot and seven - inch tall blonde wife, Olivia one more time.

"Does Eddie know you'll be late again this morning, Beaver?" Olivia asked.

"Yes, he does, sweetheart. Eddie knows because of Wally," I told her.

"I'm glad Eddie understands how tough Wally's depression is," Olivia said.

I nodded. I decided to go to the guest room where we had let Wally move into when Wally's wife had passed on. I knocked on the closed door.

"Wally, are you ready to go yet?" I called behind the closed door.

"Coming," Wally called back.

I watched as the door opened and my older brother walked out.

"I want to go to the office now, Wally. Eddie and I are talking about working on a new computer game," I said.

"What one are you thinking of doing?" Wally asked as the two of us went to the car that waited for them in the driveway.

I got into the driver's seat as Wally got into the passenger's seat. I told Wally I wasn't sure what kind of game it would be yet since me and Eddie Haskell haven't yet talked about the ideas they would use for the new computer game that should be ready by Christmas.

"I'm supposed to get ready for a speech that would be ready by the end of the week. I'm pretty nervous about it too," Wally said.

"You'll do fine, Wally. You always have," I said.

After Wally unlocked the door at his office, Wally and I walked to the messy desk.

"Your desk looks like it could use a pick up," I said.

"I know, Beaver, but I just don't have the time now."

After putting his briefcase on the floor next to the desk chair Wally decided to walk me out.

"Why are you rushing me out so fast?" I asked.

"Aren't you supposed to be at your office too?"

"Yeah. I have to take you in first. Eddie doesn't mind me being in late because of you having depression and all," I said.

Wally didn't say anything. All he could think of to do now is nod his head.

After walking me to the door, Wally said, "Beaver, do me a favor, will you?"

"What's that?"

"Will you call Lindsey for me?"

"Sure, Wally. I talk to her a lot, but I still can't figure out why she left you. When do you want me to call her?" I asked.

"Whenever you get the chance."

"Okay."

I felt I had to make the phone call to Wally's daughter, I thought I should tell Lindsey about Wally's illness. I knew twenty years ago she walked out before she even knew about it. I thought this was the right time to tell her, even though she was on her second year of college.

I didn't want my niece to miss out on too much school but I thought she could miss out on some of it for a talk with her family. I hoped she didn't have too much schoolwork planned once he tried calling. I would just have to wait and see.

While driving to the office, I was having a flashback of what happened to Wally twenty years ago.

Flashback:

Eddie and I were busy working on a new computer game that was halfway done being finished when the secretary came over the PA system for me. I stopped working on the game and told Eddie to continue on without me. I hoped this had nothing to do with either Wally and his family or my wife, Olivia.

It was Olivia, calling, saying Wally's wife had died not too long ago. I asked her how Wally was doing. Olivia said he wasn't doing well, plus Lindsey ran off missing the minute Wally's wife died. Wally had tried searching places where he knew Lindsey would be and all those places she was not there. Wally gave a police report on Lindsey, I was told from Olivia.

I was also told that Wally had been showing depression signs ever since his wife had died and Olivia had seen it in him. Olivia had told me Wally had to be in the hospital because of his showing depression. Olivia told me I was needed at the hospital from Wally.

End Flashback

I parked the car and locked it. I walked into the office and found Eddie Haskell on the phone. Eddie waved to me, phone on ear, and I waved back. I finally reached my office and unlocked the door. Once turning the lights on, I thought I would make the call to Lindsey now to get it over. If she was in class, I knew she would call back. I called her dorm number and my guess was right that she was in class. I left a message for her to call back as soon as possible.


	2. Chapter 2

At lunch that day, Eddie decided to eat lunch at the office. He wanted to work more on the game he and Beaver had started talking about that they were going to work on. He knew Beaver was out of the office for lunch that day and wanted to eat with Wally instead so that was okay with him. He got distracted from his thinking on the game at lunch that day and got to thinking on his old friend, Lumpy Rutherford who now lived in Kenya, Africa. Lumpy now lived in Africa because he had a job out in Africa running an orphanage for the orphans in Africa.

That gave Eddie an idea and he thought he would call Lumpy in Kenya since he knew Lumpy didn't know about Wally and his depression yet. Eddie knew he had to become a tough guy back in the old days in school because he thought he had to protect the depression episodes when they would happen. That was when he started to ask Lumpy to become a tough guy as well even if Lumpy knew nothing about what happened back in those times but he did feel Wally could use more protection. That's when Eddie picked up the phone. He dialed Lumpy's number in Kenya. 

He listened to the phone ring a few times in Africa. Lumpy answered.

"Hi, Lumpy," Eddie said.

"Eddie! That you?" Lumpy asked, surprised to hear from Eddie from such a long time.

"Yes, Lumpy. I know it's been eight months since we last talked. Do you have any plans to come home?" Eddie asked.

"Not anytime soon. Why?" Lumpy asked.

"I think there's an emergency talk we need to have at some point."

"About what?" Lumpy asked, not understanding what was going on.

"Wally."

"Is he okay?" Lumpy asked worriedly.

"Not really, Lumpy. It's something I can't explain on the phone. This goes way back when we were kids," Eddie told him.

"That far back? Something I never knew about and you never told me? How come you waited until now to tell me something I never knew about what is wrong with Wally and not back when we were kids?" Lumpy asked.

"It was complicated back then. Now is the right time to tell you," Eddie told him.

"I see, Eddie. I'll have to look at my schedule and see when I can get a plane ticket to get back home since you and Wally really need me," Lumpy said.

"Okay. You can call back and let me know," Eddie said.

"I plan to do that. Right now all these kids are on a wait list for homes and all that and today I just gave away ten kids to ten new families who adopted them," Lumpy said.

"That must be good business for you," Eddie said.

"It is. You should see all the kids in the orphanage I work in," Lumpy told him.

"I believe you, Lumpy. Call back when you find a date to come back home."

"I will, Eddie. Do you want me to call at the office or at home?" Lumpy asked him.

"Home would be fine. I want to work on a new game Wally's squirt brother and I have to get started on and it has to be out by Christmas this year."

"That's right. You two work together. I almost forgot. I'll call you later tonight and let you know."

"Okay."

Eddie hung up.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you like these stories. Let me know what you think of them. They also can be found at fanfiction dot under the name FonzFan82 and also at fictionpress under the name FonzFan82 but there will be more stories in near future. Thanks for reading!

Beaver and Wally ate lunch at Wally's office that afternoon. Beaver couldn't stand the mess on Wally's desk. 

"Shouldn't you clean up the mess on your desk?" Beaver asked, looking at the papers scattered on the desk along with the candy wrappings of M&M's and all the other candy you could think of.

"You mentioned that this morning, Beaver. I already told you I don't have time to clean up."

"You do now, Wally. You eating candy again?" Beaver asked, picking up a candy wrapping of Skittles.

"Wally, you know eating candy is bad for your depression. What are you worried about now?" Beaver asked, looking at the candy wrappings of Skittles and chocolate M&M's.

"The speech I have to give at the end of this week. I don't have anything written for the speech," Wally told him.

"Want me to help you write your speech? Two is better than one."

"I know, but what do you know about speech writing anyway?"

"I've done it many times for you, Wally."

Beaver knew he would have to come up with a topic for Wally to speak on Friday night.

"And Senator Webber will also be there. She's not even Republican!" Wally said.

"What is she if she's not in the Republican party?" Beaver asked.

"Independent."

The messy desk had looked better now since Beaver was the only one cleaning it up and Wally was still worried about the speech he had to give. Beaver had thrown the hundreds of candy wrappings into the wastebasket.

"Where do you want those papers, Wally?" Beaver asked.

"I'll deal with them."

"Are you sure?" Beaver asked.

Wally nodded.

"Okay," Beaver said and sighed.

Then he ate the rest of his hot dog he had ordered from takeout. He knew he decided giving Wally water for lunch was the best thing to do.

"I've found tons of candy wrappings in your bedroom at home lately, Wally, in the past month or so. Is the speech all you've been depressed about?" Beaver asked.

Wally shook his head. Beaver knew from the past until now Wally had always eaten candy when he got depressed.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Beaver asked.

"Not now," Wally said.

Lunch was almost over so Beaver decided it was time for him to leave.

"I'll see you at five, Wally."

"Okay."

Line Break

Beaver made it back to work in no time and he found Eddie still at the desk when he left for lunch with Wally.

"You still at the desk?" Beaver asked Eddie.

"Does that surprise you? It's my desk."

"We need to talk, Eddie," Beaver told him.

"About what?" Eddie asked, looking at Beaver.

"Wally."

"What about Wally?" Eddie asked, looking at Beaver.

"He's eating candy again," Beaver said.

"Again?" 

Eddie shook his head.

"He's doing it at home too," Beaver continued.

"Great," Eddie said under his breath.

"Hey, Squirt, I talked to Lumpy. I'm not sure if he's going to come back here from Africa to talk to us," Eddie told him.

"You mean you never told Lumpy about Wally's depression back in the old days when it first happened? You're such a creep, Eddie."

"It was complicated to explain back then, Squirt. I thought now was a good time to explain so that's why the wait."

Beaver nodded in agreement.

"What is he worried about? Want me to talk to him?" Eddie asked.

"If you want. He says he's worried about the speech he has to do Friday night. I'm going to write his speech for him," Beaver told Eddie.

"Again?"

"Yes, again," Beaver said.

"I'll talk with him," Eddie volunteered and watched Beaver walk into his office and shut the door.

Beaver turned the lights out and saw the message button was blinking. There were a couple of messages and he played the two messages that were blinking on the machine. The first one was from Wally's daughter, Lindsey. He heard her voice on the machine and he decided to call back later that night. The next one was from Wally's therapist wanting to set up a schedule for the following week. 

Beaver decided to call the therapist back right away to schedule but he would call Lindsey back later that night. He knew she could wait to hear from him a little bit longer. Beaver picked up the phone and dialed the therapist. Her name was Kristin Cash. She had been seeing Wally for over thirty years now. Beaver scheduled Wally's appointment for next Tuesday at nine in the morning. The rest of the day was spent with him and Eddie working on the new game they had started talking about. At five that afternoon, they left the office. Beaver drove in his 2009 Dodge Ram to Wally's office to pick him up.


	4. Chapter 4

Eddie was home in no time but he came home to silence: no screaming kids or wife cooking in the kitchen. He had been divorced for five years now. He and his ex - wife, Michelle, had problems for a while and she rook full custody of his two daughters, Martha and Lucy. When he walked into the office that evening, he found the answering machine blinking. He pressed. PLAY. There was a message from Lumpy.

"I'll call back later tonight and we can work out my schedule since you said earlier today about you and Wally needing me for an emergency talk."

He heard the phone click without any kind of good - bye, and in looking at the machine, he noticed that the call had come at 3:15 PM. Before thinking about what to have for supper, Eddie picked up the phone and dialed the orphanage in Africa, knowing that Lumpy would still be there.

"I see that you got my message."

"I did. I just walked into the door from work."

Lumpy didn't answer.

"When are you available to come back home?"

"This weekend. Oh, wait, it looks looks like I might actually be available to leave tonight."

"Okay but I think Wally wants you to stay here for our emergency talk instead of flying back and forth."

"I think I might have to fly back and forth because of my job, Eddie. I'm sure Wally understands that."

"Maybe so, but I think he would want you to stay this time, so could you possibly see if that's doable?"

"Well, I would have to see if I could find someone to take my place for a few days, so let me see what I can do."

"Okay. Let me know what day you can leave for home."

"I will. Wait, Eddie."

Line Break

Lumpy talked with his co - workers at the orphanage and they said he could get off that night and have a few weeks off if he was really needed at home.

"Thanks, it's an emergency talk, but I'm not sure what it's about, my friend didn't tell me, so I won't know until I get there."

Lumpy was excused so that he could go pack to catch his plane back to America. When he got to his house, he called Eddie to let him know he was going to be on a plane home that very night.

"Okay, Lumpy. Call me when you're ready for a ride."

Line Break

Early the next morning, Lumpy was already at the airport.

Lumpy had his carry - on bag with him on the plane. Lumpy buckled his seatbelt and looked at all the passengers on the plane. He was sitting next to a college girl. She looked like she was also from America, too.

"Where are you headed?"

"America. A friend sent for me, we have to have some sort of emergency talk with another friend, but I don't know what it's about. All he told me was that it was something from our childhood."

"Wow, that far back, huh? You mean your friend didn't tell you what the talk was about?"

"No, my friend wouldn't tell me, he said it was too complicated to explain over the phone and he'd get into it when I get home."

"I hope it's nothing awful," the girl said sympathetically.

"I'd hate not knowing what it was about."

Lumpy nodded in agreement.


	5. Chapter 5

Back in America, Beaver and Lindsey were talking.

"Why do you want me to talk to Dad?" Lindsey asked.

"There is something you need to know about. You just can't walk away from it forever," Beaver told her.

"Make it fast, Uncle Beaver. I have to study for some tests," Lindsey said.

"We would like to see you in person when you have time. After you finish your morning classes tomorrow, would you come to Mayfield for a while?" Beaver asked.

"What kind of talk do you want to talk to me about?" Lindsey asked.

"Your father's health. It had something to do with when you walked out on your father twenty years ago," Beaver said.

"What about Dad's health do I not know about? I thought I already knew about it."

"You don't. Twenty years ago when you left you caused your father to go to the hospital," Beaver said.

Lindsey couldn't believe what she heard.

"I did? No. I guess I'll come straight to Mayfield tomorrow and talk with you. I can only stay the weekend since I have major tests coming up," Lindsey told Beaver.

"Are you sure you want to do it this weekend when you have a lot going on right now?" Beaver asked.

"Yes, I'm sure, Uncle Beaver. If you and Dad really want to talk to me now, then I should go out now to get it over with."

"All right. I hope this talk doesn't affect your grades on your tests," Beaver told Lindsey.

"It won't, Uncle Beaver. I've been studying day and night, so I don't think my grades will drop," Lindsey reassured Beaver.

"I hope not," he said.

"Trust me, Uncle Beaver," she said.


	6. Chapter 6

Later that evening, Lumpy's plane got into the airport safe and sound. Once at the airport at the luggage claim, Lumpy called Eddie's house phone. Eddie was home, so he answered the phone.

"I just got into the airport and was wondering if you could pick me up," Lumpy said.

"Okay. I'll be there soon," Eddie said and the two hung up.

Lumpy didn't have to wait for long since he saw Eddie there within ten minutes or so.

"Do you want me to take you to a hotel?" Eddie asked.

"I didn't make any reservations," Lumpy told him.

"That's okay. You can stay at my place then."

"Okay. Sounds good," Lumpy said as the two walked to Eddie's car.

Eddie unlocked the trunk of his dark blue Porsche. He put Lumpy's suitcase and carry - on bag in the trunk.

"Does Wally know I'm here in America?" Lumpy asked.

"He knew you were flying out when I told him the other day," Eddie answered.

The two men made it to Eddie's house in silence.


	7. Chapter 7

It was now the weekend. Lindsey took her tests early just in case she was going to be gone longer than expected. She told her teachers she was going out of town for a while because she had to see her family and they gave her some assignments for the weekend to do while visiting her family. Then she caught a plane for the afternoon at one o'clock since she didn't have many afternoon classes. Before leaving the college to catch the plane, she called Beaver at his office. Beaver was eating there that day. He told her he could ask Olivia to pick her up at the airport since he might be home late that night so he wouldn't have time to pick her up.

"Okay, Uncle Beaver. I'll see you later tonight," Lindsey said.

Before getting off the phone, the two said a few more words and Lindsey drove off for the airport. Beaver felt Eddie's eyes watching him hang up the phone. Eddie was standing at the door, watching him talk on the phone with Lindsey.

"Eddie, that's the creepiest thing to do is watch me talk on the phone with my niece," Beaver said.

"I don't know it was her. We really need to get going on with this game. If we don't, then it will be past the due date on this game if you keep goofing off," Eddie said.

"You sound like Wally when we were kids when you talk like that, Eddie," Beaver said, remembering the time they were younger.

"Somebody has to when you'll act like a kid instead of a sixty - year - old man," Eddie said.

"I don't act like a kid anymore, Eddie," Beaver said as he stuck his tongue out.

What Beaver told Eddie was true. All of them had turned old and gray now and were almost semi - retired. Beaver had this feeling Wally might retire soon since depression had gotten wore. He didn't know about Eddie and Lumpy, though.

Lindsey didn't do much when she was on the airplane. She decided to do her homework while on the airplane to get most of it started and finished. While doing her science homework, her mind was on her phone call with Beaver. It made her wonder what illness Wally had that made her walk out before her finding out about the illness just now. Instead of focusing on her science homework, she put the notebook and book back in her backpack and looked out the window and decided to listen to her music instead since she couldn't focus on her work of what her Uncle Beaver was telling her on the phone. She decided to try to figure out what the illness was that her father had. One thing she didn't know was that Wally had been diagnosed with depression since he was five years old.

Line Break

While at the office, Beaver told Eddie Lindsey was headed for the airport so she was on her way to Mayfield.

"I could pick her up on my way home," Eddie offered.

"Thanks, Eddie, but I think Olivia will do it. Let me call her real fast and tell her about Lindsey coming," Beaver said.

Eddie watched as Beaver got into his office and picked up the phone.

Olivia, honey, I spoke with Lindsey not too long ago. She said she's on her way here. I might be working a bit late tonight, so would you mind picking her up when she gets in?" Beaver asked.

"All right," Olivia said, "I'll be sure to get started on the guest room for her."

"Thanks," Beaver said as they got off.

"Good thing she's staying with you. My place is already taken. Lumpy's here from Africa," Eddie told Beaver.

"I didn't know that. You want me to tell Wally?" Beaver asked.

"Sure, if you want to. Lumpy hasn't been here for almost a day yet. He thinks he has to fly back and forth on the weekdays for work, but we'll see how it goes since he's worried about the kids out there," Eddie said.

Beaver nodded.

"I'll tell Wally when we drive home tonight about Lumpy," Beaver said.

"Okay. Thanks. I think Lumpy's been at my place all day today since he doesn't have a car to get places," Eddie told him.

"Right."

The rest of the afternoon flew by. Both Beaver and Eddie closed the place up at six - fifteen that evening. Beaver figured he was going to be a bit late anyway that night, so he gave Wally some notice on his picking Wally up so they could drive together home.

Beaver didn't tell Wally yet that Lindsey was flying in that day so he would let this be a surprise to Wally but he wasn't so sure how they would get along that night.

Line Break

Beaver finally made it to Wally's office. He walked into Wally's office and found Wally turning the computer off when he walked in.

"You ready to leave?" Beaver asked.

"I am ready. I'm just shutting this off," Wally said.

"Am I late at all picking you up?" Beaver asked.

"Yeah. Maybe an hour or so," Wally answered.

"Sorry if I didn't call if I was going to be late. Eddie wanted to get started on the game right away and said no more goofing off," Beaver said, "so I had to do what Eddie told me."

"He's got a point," Wally said.

"Wally, I have something to tell you," Beaver said.

"What's that?" Wally asked.

"Eddie and I were talking. He told me that Lumpy is out here from Africa but he has been here for less than a day now. He's staying at Eddie's," Beaver said, taking a left.

"Okay. I'll have to make time to see him then," Wally said.

"Don't you have to work if you're going to try to make time to see Lumpy?" Beaver asked.

"You're right, Beaver. I'm sure there will be a way to get together," Wally said.

"I'm sure there will be," Beaver agreed.

"I forgot. I talked to Lindsey today," Beaver added.

"What's new with her?" Wally asked.

"She was about to leave to come here to see us," Beaver said.

"She never talks to me anyway."

"She will now, Wally. Just wait until she finds out about your depression," Beaver said, "and then she'll start talking to you again."

"I don't know," he said, not sure if Beaver was right about that.

"Trust me, Wally. Don't you want your daughter to talk to you again?" Beaver asked.

"Sure I do."

"Then-"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed the cliffhanger at the end of this story. Part 2 is on its way.

**Author's Note:**

> I know this show has aired in the 50's and Wally and Beaver were children, but I decided to do something different. In this story, I have Wally, Beaver, and Eddie as adults in their 60's. Wally is now in the Republican party as Senator, Beaver and Eddie are working in the same company and computer programmers while Lumpy Rutherford is in Kenya, Africa running an orphanage. I know this is a touchy subject to write about but I was on the computer one day and Tony Dow who played Wally said in one article I looked at said he suffered from clinical depression so it gave me an idea for a story and thought it fit the Wally Cleaver character for a story. I hope you enjoy this first story I'm doing on these characters even though it might be a bit touchy to some of you. Thanks for reading!


End file.
